NeoNic's Fallen Heiress
Yoo Seung-ah—one of Eden's three emperors, chairman of NeoNic, Yoo Seung-cheol. The family he'd built solely for NeoNic. Yoo Seung-ah was a disgraced side-branch offspring who'd lost everything after defeat in that family. Soo eyed her with that certainty.
She stood there awkwardly, trembling no less than Angela had—maybe even more. A newborn calf wouldn't shake like that. Cute, kinda, Soo thought, chuckling softly.
"Side branch, right?"
"...Y-Yes. How... how did you know? Never mind my secret—how did you know about my sister's status...?"
"Just searched it."
What the hell does that even mean? Were they even talking about the same thing? The same language?
Yoo Seung-ah exhaled a shaky breath. "Even if you searched, you need some basis to search for in the first place, don't you...?"
"A bit ago... uh, last night. Some assholes pretending to be Wolha raided the office."
Her gaze quickly swept the office. No change from when she'd first entered. Too pristine. It screamed "grand opening today" to anyone who looked. No trace of any raid anywhere.
"Took 'em down clean. Hate cleaning up if the office gets messy."
"Took them down...?"
"Yeah. Enoch dragged 'em to Wolha."
Raided by Wolha imposters, so she looked up Wolha info? That could be coincidence. But from there, Soo had connected it to Yoo Seung-ah, unearthing a secret unknown outside NeoNic's main house. No way that was coincidence.
So, is this insight territory...?
Even as an ECPD headquarters investigator, she'd never met anyone with that level of perception.
Even if it was a lucky guess... No, not a guess. Soo's eyes held certainty.
She didn't know when or how she'd figured it out. Maybe from their first meeting... piecing together a mental puzzle from casual chit-chat.
Ah...
The thought sent chills down her spine. She'd met someone like this once before. In the past. When she'd visited the main house with her late father. In that office overlooking all of Eden, locking eyes with NeoNic's chairman, Yoo Seung-cheol. She'd felt this from that monster.
His words seemed casual tosses, but by conversation's end, he'd gleaned everything. From one stray bit of info, he'd unraveled her father's every secret. Not hacking—that couldn't touch the human heart.
"How exactly did you connect me to NeoNic...?"
"Explaining in detail's no fun."
"Fun...? You're treading on NeoNic's taboos right now."
"Am I?"
If you thought it was taboo, would you even be here? Soo's short reply whispered that to Yoo Seung-ah.
"...Th-then... you'll continue my request?"
"Yeah."
"...Why?"
"Seems fun. Now I'm curious too."
Soo smiled. That innocent grin now seemed something indescribable. Facing it, Yoo Seung-ah couldn't ask what she was curious about.
"Th-thank you..."
"Yeah."
Conversation over. Asking more would just yield answers she couldn't grasp. No proof her words were even true. And even if they were lies, she had to believe now. Trust for trust. Betrayal for betrayal. Tit-for-tat only worked on equals.
Here, trusting Soo was her only option. From the contract's signing. Or maybe from their first meeting, when those sharp fangs had sunk in... Yoo Seung-ah mused.
"Anyway, that's settled. Let's go."
Yoo Seung-ah still hadn't stood, but Angela had composed herself and followed Soo.
"Soo, you sure it's okay to just leave?"
Her hood—hiding her tail—bobbed hugely.
"Oh."
Almost forgot the important part.
Soo halted, sighing in relief as she turned to Yoo Seung-ah. Her eyes were like a baby bird awaiting mom's meal delivery.
"Seung-ah, burgers."
"...Pardon?"
"You said you'd buy. Was it a lie?"
Abandoned baby bird eyes now...
"N-no! Yes, I mean, no... I will."
No, yes, no? Not a lie, but kinda was, but isn't?
"You'll buy, right?"
"Y-yes... I will."
"Good. I'll have tenders too."
Half-rising awkwardly, Yoo Seung-ah hesitated, then forced out: "Um... do you take other requests?"
"Like what?"
"Payday's October 10th, so... funds are tight. A small loan... 50,000 credits."
"No money for Seung-ah burgers?"
"B-burgers are fine. Tenders might be..."
Seeing her blush, Angela felt her earlier tension melt away. NeoNic side branch had spooked her a bit, but one without 50k credits? Not scary at all.
"Fine, just burgers then. Thanks?"
"Th-thank you for your generosity."
"Holy shit."
Nope, now just pitiful...
"ECPD headquarters Investigation Division Team 8 leader, Yoo Seung-ah."
"Merc Enoch."
"Hic!"
In Westtown Sector 1's Central Town—Wolha HQ—Miki joined Soo’s group and immediately started hiccuping.
Soo and Angela were used to it by now, but an ECPD investigation team leader? Natural predator to Miki, who'd only done shady gigs.
"...I'm Miki Ebner."
"Pleased, Ms. Ebner. But..."
"Hic!"
Yoo Seung-ah's narrowed eyes made Miki's hiccups worse. Why? What? Did my name spread to HQ too?
Did I... do my jobs too well?
Should've used an alias. Thought real name under the lamp would dodge suspicion, but too naive... Wild delusions swirled in Miki's head.
Of course, Yoo Seung-ah didn't know Miki. HQ wasn't idle enough for petty crooks.
Her narrowed eyes? Just worrying if she'd need two extra burgers. Miki's overthinking.
"Miki's just tagging along briefly. Uh, a client, maybe?"
"Y-yeah! Just like Angela said! I'm! Just the client!"
"I see. Heard three total, so the extra had me curious."
Miki and Yoo Seung-ah sighed in relief together. Soo, watching their dynamic with a light smile, stepped forward.
"Let's go."
"Yoo Seung-ah the detective's the client?" Enoch asked softly, catching up to Soo.
"Yeah."
"What kinda job?"
"Not that Yoo clan from NeoNic, right?"
"That clan."
"Knew it wasn't... what?"
"Side branch, though."
"What?"
"Wolha's CEO we're seeing? Her side branch too. Name's Yoo Sena. Seung-ah's sister."
"What?"
"Details at the office later."
Enoch paled. Dropping bombs then "later"?
Top two things that pissed people off: stopping mid-sentence, and...
"Angela, this true?"
"Sadly, yes."
Angela stiffened her face on purpose. She'd taken Soo's bomb full-force, so wanted Enoch to feel it too—a cute prank.
"...Why? Beat up Lutech and Zailek, so now NeoNic's turn?"
"How'd you know?"
Soo joined the tease. Enoch, sandwiched, suffered.
Of course, he hadn't expected easy gigs till deployment. Office open, Salvador helping—no harm in one big job.
But NeoNic from jump? "Gonna lose my mind..."
Enoch swept his face, crunching candy.
"So, how many hits we landing?"
"Ooh."
"Oh?"
Now Soo and Angela were shocked. Expected him to rethink and bail, not accept instantly.
Enoch, dyed in Soo's colors from all angles. Maybe this was his true nature.
"Heehee."
Soo grinned happily. Fun uncovering Enoch's unknown sides from the game. Nearing Angela's secrets intrigued. Watching unseen characters' tangled ties brought joy.
So, what relations this time? Soo strolled the hall, face full of excitement.
CEO or not, no mega-corp scale. Mid-small, leaning small. Plus Enoch's "returning employee body" line smoothed the path to her office.
"Answer?"
"Yeah... thinking on it."
"Wrap before I deploy, at least. So I can help a bit."
"Yeah."
"Anyway... what now? Flashbang?"
"Can't do that to a CEO. And this time, probably fine."
The nameless group had planted spyware-like malware in Miki. Possible via her public IP.
Yoo Sena, using stolen NeoNic unique IP? Safe. If they could hit megacorps, Eden would've fallen long ago.
"Still, I'll check, sis."
"Yeah, thanks."
Chatting with her team, Soo reached the office door without pause and swung it open.
Spacious office. Floor-to-ceiling glass with Eden's full view. The girl at center froze mid-greeting, eyes widening.
"Welcome... uh...? Wh-what?"
The discarded side-branch daughter.
"Sis—no, Yoo Seung-ah? Why now—no, why here, argh! Seriously! You came here yourself?"
Wolha Corp CEO.
"You nuts?! What, that picture you drew? So what if I saw it? Think I hung it for you? Pfft, I just! Wanted some human vibe!"
Yoo Seung-ah's sister.
"Like I'd want to see you! Don't look at me like that!"
Soo muttered at the textbook tsundere, like she'd stepped from a drawing.
"Tsunderes aren't popular these days."
"...Huh?"
Yoo Sena's eyes bulged.